Ducted fan propulsion systems for unmanned aerial vehicles are propulsion systems that include a fan surrounded by a duct. The fan is driven by a motor or engine and the configuration of the duct increases the efficiency/power of the fan. A ducted fan vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAV is an aircraft that uses a ducted fan propulsion system to provide vertical take-off and landing capabilities to the UAV. Control of a ducted fan VTOL UAV can be provided via modulation, or vectoring, of the thrust provided by the ducted fan propulsion system through the use of flight control vanes that are mounted in the exit air stream of the ducted fan propulsion system.
Ducted fan propulsion systems for contemporary small-scale (e.g., VTOL) UAVs do not have established problem detection apparatus or systems. As such, it is left up to the instincts and/or experience of users to determine if unmanned aerial vehicles are airworthy for both pre-flight operations and in-flight operations. In other words, it is left up to a user to determine if the engine is producing enough power for an unmanned aerial vehicle to begin flying and/or to continue flying.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide propulsion prognostics apparatus and systems for unmanned aerial vehicles. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.